It’s the start of another weekend, which means it’s time for another trip back into the archives on Adam’s Top 40 Flashback! Every Saturday, the day before my latest top 40 goes up for the week, I feature the highlights of a past countdown. They’re all here — the hit songs, the songs that flopped, and the songs that may be a little embarrassing to reflect on.
This week, we stroll back eight years and find out what was topping my chart for the week of July 12, 2009…
05. SHINEDOWN, “Second Chance” (down 1) Album: The Sound Of Madness (2008, Atlantic Records)
Peak: #2 for three weeks
04. KATY PERRY, “Waking Up In Vegas” (up 2)
Album: One Of The Boys (2008, Capitol Records)
Peak: #1 for five weeks
03. NICKELBACK, “If Today Was Your Last Day” (steady, second week) Album: Dark Horse (2008, Roadrunner/Atlantic Records)
Peak: #3 for three weeks
02. THE FRAY, “Never Say Never” (steady, third week) Album: The Fray (2009, Epic Records)
Peak: #2 for four weeks
01. ROB THOMAS, “Her Diamonds” (steady, eighth week) Album: Cradlesong (2009, Emblem/Atlantic Records)
Peak: #1 for eight weeks
Check back next Saturday for another Adam’s Top 40 Flashback countdown and don’t forget to follow the blog by using the tab below or find PGTC on social media by clicking the “Get Social!” tab at the top of the page.
It’s the start of another weekend, which means it’s time for another trip back into the archives on Adam’s Top 40 Flashback! Every Saturday, the day before my latest top 40 goes up for the week, I feature the highlights of a past countdown. They’re all here — the hit songs, the songs that flopped, and the songs that may be a little embarrassing to reflect on.
This week, we stroll back six years and find out what was topping my chart for the week of June 19, 2011…
06. ANDREW ALLEN, “Loving You Tonight” (up 1) Album: Loving You Tonight – Single (2011, Epic Records)
Peak: #5
05. PARACHUTE, “Something To Believe In” (down 2)
Album: The Way It Was (2011, Mercury/IDJMG Records)
Peak: #1 for three weeks
04. MAT KEARNEY, “Hey Mama” (up 2)
Album: Young Love (2011, Universal Republic Records)
Peak: #3 for four weeks
03. FITZ & THE TANTRUMS, “MoneyGrabber” (down 2) Album: Pickin’ Up The Pieces (2010, Dangerbird Records)
Peak: #1 for one week
02. ONEREPUBLIC, “Good Life” (up 2)
Album: Waking Up (2009, Mosley/Interscope Records)
Peak: #2 for three weeks
01. MATT NATHANSON, “Faster” (up 1)
Album: Modern Love (2011, Vanguard Records)
Peak: #1 for three weeks
Check back next Saturday for another Adam’s Top 40 Flashback countdown and don’t forget to follow the blog by using the tab below or find PGTC on social media by clicking the “Get Social!” tab at the top of the page.
DEBUTS
40. Delta Rae – A Long And Happy Life
36. Scott Helman – Kinda Complicated
33. Bleachers – Don’t Take The Money | HIGHEST DEBUT
TOP GAINERS
30. Sigrid – Don’t Kill My Vibe (35)
29. Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl (36)
23. New Politics – One Of Us (32) | BIGGEST MOVER
16. John Mayer – Still Feel Like Your Man (23)
THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
10. Rag’n’Bone Man – Human (09) | PEAK: #01 for six weeks 09. James TW – Ex (10) | PEAK: #09
08. ZAYN & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (04) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks
07. MUNA – I Know A Place (05) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks 06. Imagine Dragons – Believer (07) | PEAK: #06 05. Michael Bublé – I Believe In You (06) | PEAK: #05 04. Lorde – Green Light (08) | PEAK: #04 03. Julia Michaels – Issues (03) | PEAK: #03
02. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill (02) | PEAK: #02 01. Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm (01) | PEAK: #01 for three weeks
Top 10 Next In Line:
1. New Kids On The Block – One More Night (2)
2. Bea Miller – Song Like You (1)
3. Rag’N’Bone Man – Skin (4)
4. Bobby Bazini – Never Let Go (10)
5. Fastball – I Will Never Let You Down (9)
6. Sheryl Crow – Halfway There (7)
7. Mike Posner – In The Arms Of A Stranger (-)
8. Gavin DeGraw – Making Love With The Radio On (8)
9. The 1975 – A Change Of Heart (-)
10. LANY – ILYSB (-)
In The Mix:
Adele – All I Ask
Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato – No Promises (new)
DREAMCAR – Kill For Candy
Oh Wonder – Ultralife (new)
The Cranberries – Why (new)
Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris – Craving You (new)
Train – Drink Up (new)
Weezer – Feels Like Summer
ZZ Ward – Help Me Mama (new)
Chart Notes:
This week’s Highest Debut shouldn’t be a surprise, as it comes from a performer that’s had four #1 hits on my chart between two different acts. He’s Jack Antonoff, who had four top 40 songs with fun. in 2012-13, and now has his fourth top 40 entry with Bleachers. “Don’t Take The Money” takes a seat at #33. Antonoff is also a writer and producer on two songs currently in my top ten: “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” (#8) by ZAYN and Taylor Swift, and “Green Light” (#4) by Lorde. Yeah, I’m a fan of his work, perhaps…
Canadian singer/songwriter Scott Helman last hit my chart two years ago with “Bungalow”. It peaked at #8 for two weeks. Now, he returns with the radio single from his forthcoming set titled Hôtel de Ville. “Kinda Complicated” is new at #36. The song also climbs into the top 40 at Hot AC radio in Canada this week, and is closing in on 200,000 streams on Spotify. We’ll see how it does on my chart in the coming weeks.
Finally, at #40, is the latest chart entry for North Carolina’s Delta Rae. “A Long And Happy Life” marks the first single, and title track, off the first EP under their new record deal with Big Machine. (They were previously signed with Sire.) It goes for adds at Country radio on April 17, and though there’s a bit of competition already, I think it’ll do just fine. Good luck, guys!
Welcome to Radio Active, a weekly report from POP! Goes The Charts that gets to the chart of the matter: all the highlights from the CHR/Top 40 chart, as published by Mediabase 24/7 and Mediabase Research. When it comes to the health of our pop airwaves, I, as your Commander-In-Chart, will provide coverage for all, including the preexisting conditions from last week’s top 50. So, if you’re in need of some medical melodies, or a ditty from the doctor, never fear; your favorite chart geek is here to prescribe some pop stats:
ED IN THE CLOUDS: Nearly approaching its record-setting spin total from two weeks back, Ed Sheeran‘s “Shape Of You” stays at #1 for the sixth week on the CHR/Top 40 chart. This achievement means that Sheeran’s now spent half of his run, 12 weeks, in the top spot. Incredible! “Shape” also tops the Hot AC chart for a fifth week, while it ranks in the top ten on the Rhythmic chart. I haven’t quite figured out what the singer/songwriter’s favorite shape actually is, but perhaps if you lend me a Shape-O rattle and a little time to figure out, I can get you an answer by next week’s post.
Sheeran re-enters at #45 on this week’s chart with “Castle On The Hill”, which was recently reissued to the format. It’s a new peak for it; you’ll recall that upon the song’s release, it briefly spent one week in the top 50 on the second chart in January. “Galway Girl” is on several stations as well, continuing to pick up airplay in major markets. Unsurprisingly, the song’s already been to #1 in Ireland.
THE LANGUAGE OF “LOVE”: The Swedish duo Axwell Λ Ingrosso sounds like they should be one part of a law firm, scoring victories in Top 40 trials. They could’ve even had their own commercial during every daytime talk show. Alas, that’s not the case, but there is a case on the docket regarding a lovable new track of theirs. “I Love You”, featuring Kid Ink, brings some order to the court of chart hits, jumping from 42-36 this week. Someone better call the pop prosecutor; there’s a writer making far too many legal puns for one chart recap. Take him away, officer…
Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso previously charted as two-thirds of the electronic group Swedish House Mafia, who hit the top 40 two times between 2011-2013 with “Save The World” (#36, 9/4/11 MB) and the smash “Don’t You Worry Child” (#2, 2/3/13 MB). If they ever got back together at some point, I’m sure the CHR panel would prove that this Swedish House is, in fact, a home. A chart is still a chart, even when there’s no song that departs.
“STILL” THE ONE: As Harry Styles preps for the release of his solo single in April, Zayn is wasting no time with his next move. His latest single is “Still Got Time”, which features PartyNextDoor, entering at #40 after just a few days of airplay. The single may appear on Zayn’s second solo album, though no details about the set have been revealed yet. With four top 40 songs outside of One Direction, he remains the most successful member to come from the group. Call me crazy, but that’s rather in-Zayn. Get it? Call me cra– oh, nevermind. I’ve had worse, people.
Zayn also remains in the runner-up spot for the fifth week in a row with “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever”, a duet with Taylor Swift off the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack. Had the song made it to #1, it would have been the first male-female duet from a film to top the format since Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle‘s “A Whole New World”, from Aladdin, a three-week #1 hit in February 1993. Well, what can I say? Reaching the top is no magic carpet ride, even if it looks easy. Still, the song’s been a major hit across the globe, so it’s nothing to be sad about, kids.
JUST PUSH PLAY-N-SKILLZ: With a skillful remake of a Selena song, Texas duo Play-N-Skillz collaborates with Frankie J, Becky G and Kap G on a Spanglish mix of “Si Una Vez (If I Once)”, entering at #50 on this week’s CHR chart. This is Frankie J’s first charting single at the format since 2006, when “That Girl” (#21, 9/3/06 MB) became his last main-credited appearance. This release makes its top 50 entry just days before the 22nd anniversary of Selena’s death. The performer is best remembered in the CHR world for a pair of posthumous hits: “I Could Fall In Love” (#12, 9/8/95 R&R) and “Dreaming Of You” (#20, 12/22/95 R&R), both from an album named after the latter single.
This is not the first Latin-infused collaboration to reach the top 50 at the format. In fact, in September 2014, Enrique Iglesias‘s hit “Bailando” reached #9 on the CHR chart, which featured Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona. Will this song make it just as high? We’ll see soon. ¡Buena suerte amigos!
DEBUTS
38. Sheppard – Keep Me Crazy
36. Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl | HIGHEST DEBUT
TOP GAINERS
35. Sigrid – Don’t Kill My Vibe (40)
32. New Politics – One Of Us (39)
24. Wrabel – Bloodstain (31)
22. MisterWives – Machine (30) | BIGGEST MOVER
19. JP Cooper – September Song (24)
(see #8 below)
THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN 10. James TW – Ex (12) | PEAK: #10
09. Rag’n’Bone Man – Human (07) | PEAK: #01 for six weeks 08. Lorde – Green Light (13) | PEAK: #08 07. Imagine Dragons – Believer (08) | PEAK: #07 06. Michael Bublé – I Believe In You (06) | PEAK: #06
05. MUNA – I Know A Place (03) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks
04. ZAYN & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (04) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks 03. Julia Michaels – Issues (05) | PEAK: #03 02. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill (02) | PEAK: #02 01. Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm (01) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks
Top 10 Next In Line:
1. Bea Miller – Song Like You (1)
2. New Kids On The Block – One More Night (4)
3. Scott Helman – Kinda Complicated (-)
4. Rag’N’Bone Man – Skin (5)
5. Skip Marley – Lions (2)
6. Delta Rae – A Long And Happy Life (-)
7. Sheryl Crow – Halfway There (7)
8. Gavin DeGraw – Making Love With The Radio On (9)
9. Fastball – I Will Never Let You Down (-)
10. Bobby Bazini – Never Let Go (-)
In The Mix:
Adele – All I Ask
Celine Dion – How Does A Moment Last Forever
DREAMCAR – Kill For Candy
Mike Posner – In The Arms Of A Stranger
Stargate featuring P!nk and Sia – Waterfall
Weezer – Feels Like Summer
Chart Notes:
It’s Ed Sheeran‘s world, and we’re all living it. The singer/songwriter is now up to his third chart hit from ÷ on my chart. At #36, “Galway Girl” is the week’s Highest Debut, while “Shape Of You” slips to #12 and “Castle On The Hill” stays at #2 for its third week. Galway, of course, is a city in Ireland, though it’s unclear if the Galwegians are content with all the attention as of late. I guess we’ll see soon!
Aussie sextet Sheppard now has just as many chart entries as they do members. Their sixth song to reach my top 40, “Keep Me Crazy”, debuts at #38. Their single’s already hit in the top 40 in Australia. The group first made my chart in the spring of 2013 with “Let Me Down Easy”, which topped out at #10 that July.
In case you missed it, make sure to check out the new Crowncast, a podcast co-hosted by Crownnote owner Kurt Trowbridge and yours truly. It’s a fun listen, full of music statistics and shade, and we’d really appreciate your support. Thanks!
DEBUTS
40. Sigrid – Don’t Kill My Vibe
39. New Politics – One Of Us | HIGHEST DEBUT
TOP GAINERS
32. The Band Perry – Stay In The Dark (37)
31. Wrabel – Bloodstain (38)
24. JP Cooper – September Song (30)
18. Noah Kahan – Young Blood (26) | BIGGEST MOVER (tie)
13. Lorde – Green Light (21) | BIGGEST MOVER (tie)
THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN 10. Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You (08) | PEAK: #08 09. Daniel Powter – Delicious (06) | PEAK: #05 08. Imagine Dragons – Believer (10) | PEAK: #08
07. Rag’n’Bone Man – Human (05) | PEAK: #01 for six weeks 06. Michael Bublé – I Believe In You (09) | PEAK: #06 05. Julia Michaels – Issues (07) | PEAK: #05
04. ZAYN & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (04) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks
03. MUNA – I Know A Place (01) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks 02. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill (02) | PEAK: #02 01. Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm (03) | PEAK: #01 for one week | NEW #1
Top 10 Next In Line:
1. Bea Miller – Song Like You (3)
2. Skip Marley – Lions (2)
3. The Strumbellas – Young & Wild (1)
4. New Kids On The Block – One More Night (6)
5. Rag’N’Bone Man – Skin (4)
6. Sheppard – Keep Me Crazy (10)
7. Sheryl Crow – Halfway There (7)
8. Lady Antebellum – You Look Good (5)
9. Gavin DeGraw – Making Love With The Radio On (9)
10. Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl (-)
In The Mix:
Adele – All I Ask
Celine Dion – How Does A Moment Last Forever
Delta Rae – A Long And Happy Life (new)
DREAMCAR – Kill For Candy
Mike Posner – In The Arms Of A Stranger
Saint Motel – Born Again
Scott Helman – Kinda Complicated (new)
Stargate featuring P!nk and Sia – Waterfall
Steps – Scared Of The Dark
Weezer – Feels Like Summer (new)
Chart Notes:
In just its sixth week in the countdown, “Chained To The Rhythm” by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley leaps from 3-1. It marks the fifth #1 on my chart for Perry, her first since 2011, and her 18th total week at the top since 2009. For Marley, well, there’s nothing like going to the top with your first chart hit! “Chained” should appear on Perry’s upcoming studio album. At the current time, we don’t know much about it, but I’m certainly eager to hear the set.
This week’s Highest Debut is a new top 40 hit for the Danish trio New Politics. “One Of Us” enters at #39. Their biggest hit to date, “Harlem”, spent a week at #2 in November 2013. Though the trio has seven top 40 entries to date on the Alternative chart, they have yet to reach the top, and nothing from their last album came close to a top ten peak. We’ll see if this one gets them any closer to #1.
Only one newcomer debuts on this week’s chart, and that would be Norwegian singer Sigrid. She breaks into the countdown at #40 with “Don’t Kill My Vibe”. The single impacts at CHR/Top 40 and Hot AC radio at the end of the month, so follow the blog and our socials for more details regarding its airplay status. “Don’t” recently surpassed 6.5 million streams on Spotify.
DEBUTS
40. Ruth B. – Superficial Love
38. Wrabel – Bloodstain | HIGHEST DEBUT
TOP GAINERS
31. John Mayer – Still Feel Like Your Man (37)
26. Noah Kahan – Young Blood (31)
22. Take That – Giants (27)
21. Lorde – Green Light (32) | BIGGEST MOVER
17. Maroon 5 – Cold (22)
16. James TW – Ex (21)
(see #9)
THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN 10. Imagine Dragons – Believer (13) | PEAK: #10 09. Michael Bublé – I Believe In You (14) | PEAK: #09 08. Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You (10) | PEAK: #08 07. Julia Michaels – Issues (08) | PEAK: #07 06. Daniel Powter – Delicious (06) | PEAK: #05
05. Rag’n’Bone Man – Human (04) | PEAK: #01 for six weeks
04. ZAYN & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (02) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks 03. Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm (05) | PEAK: #03 02. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill (03) | PEAK: #02 01. MUNA – I Know A Place (01) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks
Top 10 Next In Line:
1. The Strumbellas – Young & Wild (1)
2. Skip Marley – Lions (4)
3. Bea Miller – Song Like You (8)
4. Rag’N’Bone Man – Skin (6)
5. Lady Antebellum – You Look Good (7)
6. New Kids On The Block – One More Night (-)
7. Sheryl Crow – Halfway There (-)
8. New Politics – One Of Us (-)
9. Gavin DeGraw – Making Love With The Radio On (-)
10. Sheppard – Keep Me Crazy (-)
In The Mix:
Adele – All I Ask
Celine Dion – How Does A Moment Last Forever (new)
DREAMCAR – Kill For Candy (new)
FRENSHIP – 1000 Nights
Mike Posner – In The Arms Of A Stranger (new)
Saint Motel – Born Again (new)
Sigrid – Don’t Kill My Vibe (new)
Stargate featuring P!nk and Sia – Waterfall (new)
Steps – Scared Of The Dark (new)
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay – Something Just Like This
Chart Notes:
In 2016, Wrabel scored my #1 song of the year with “11 Blocks”, which spent five weeks at the top. This week, he’s back with his first chart entry of 2017, “Bloodstain”. It’s new at #38. The track made its radio debut on WIAD-FM in Washington, DC a few weeks ago, though it hasn’t been commercially available (to download or stream) until this past Friday. Will the 28-year-old singer make it two years in a row with the top song on my annual listing? This one’s just getting started, so stay tuned!
With her follow-up to “Lost Boy”, Ruth B. has her second top 40 single with “Superficial Love”, entering at #40. Of course, you’ll remember that “Lost” started out on Vine, led to her major-label contract and a #10 entry on my personal chart. It just so happens that “Superficial” also began on the service before becoming a tune on her EP The Intro in 2015. A new version is now available, and you can hear it on a handful of Hot AC stations.
There’s a lot of action beneath the chart this week, as a number of new tracks enter the Next In Line and In The Mix sections. Two New bands, who aren’t actually new acts, could debut quicker than the ones listed; they are New Kids On The Block and New Politics. You may also want to look out for Bea Miller‘s latest single, which takes a nice jump as well. Where will they land? Check back on Sunday to find out!
